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The final road series: O's at Tampa

April 02, 2010, 12:26pm

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (60-95) at Tampa (79-76) After going winless at Toronto and Cleveland, the O's play at Tampa tonight. It's the start of the final week and final road series of the year. The Orioles are 0-6 on this trip and have lost ten games in a row. Tonight, the Rays host the Orioles in the opener of a four-game series at Tropicana Field at 7:08 p.m. Pitching Matchups - Tampa series: Mon, 7:08p - Mark Hendrickson (5-5, 4.37) v. Jeff Niemann (12-6, 3.81) Tues, 7:08p - Jeremy...

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Do you know him now? (updated)

April 06, 2010, 4:25pm

Orioles

I just wrote about the Rays' video board displaying Craig Tatum's picture next to Luke Scott's name. Scott didn't seem to mind. And Tatum should be flattered. Scott launched a 90 mph fastball deep into the seats in right-center field, giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Matt Wieters followed with a single, and Felix Pie has doubled to put runners on second and third. Still no outs. Wieters also crushed a ball in the second inning, but center fielder B.J. Upton made a...

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Early impressions

April 06, 2010, 4:20pm

Orioles

You certainly can't draw many conclusions from the first few innings of the first game, but...... *Adam Jones told Gary Thorne before the game "if someone needs a kick in the butt this year, I'll do it. If I need a kick in the butt, I hope someone will do it." Minutes later, he went out and hit a Jamie Walker "rocket ship" off the center-field wall. Then he homered to right in the third. That's leadership. In his last five Opening Day at bats, Jones is 5 for 5 with a triple,...

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Tribe blanks O's to complete three-game sweep

April 02, 2010, 6:47pm

Orioles

Tribe blanks O's to complete three-game sweep

The Cleveland Indians scored six runs in the first inning Sunday off Chris Tillman, on their way to 9-0 win over the Orioles and a sweep of the three-game series. The Orioles have lost ten in a row, matching their longest losing stretch since September of 2008. Asdrubal Cabrera had a two-run double in the 1st and Kelly Shoppach's three-run homer capped the inning. Cabrera went 4 for 5 with three RBI. Tillman lasted just two innings, allowing six runs and six hits. He falls to 2-5,...

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Post-game Notes: The losing skid reaches ten

April 02, 2010, 6:45pm

Orioles

Post-game Notes: The losing skid reaches ten

Tough time for Tillman - Chris Tillman took the loss Sunday, pitching just two innings, in his shortest start of the year. His previous shortest start was 4 2/3 vs. Kansas City in his Major League debut July 29th. Today he allowed six runs in the first inning and threw just 53 pitches in falling to 2-5, 5.40. Tillman has allowed 10ER in seven innings over his last two starts. In five September starts, he is 1-3, 7.30. Dave Trembley talks with the media after the O's 9-0 loss to the...

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Another September swoon

April 02, 2010, 12:27pm

Orioles

The O's can only hope the saying "it's darkest before the dawn" might apply to baseball as well. It's getting pretty dark around here lately. Until this ten-game losing streak, the Orioles were not only competing with but they were beating good teams. They took two of three from Texas and won back to back series over the Yankees (on the road) and vs. Tampa. That all happened in September, although it seems years away now. With some recent blowout losses, the teams' effort can be...

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Tonight's pitchers: Hendrickson vs. Niemann

April 02, 2010, 12:25pm

Orioles

Tonight's pitchers: Hendrickson vs. Niemann

LHP Mark Hendrickson (5-5, 4.37) tonight makes his 10th start of this season, his 5th on the road and his 4th vs. Tampa Bay. Hendrickson pitched well, but did not get a decision Tuesday at Toronto. Over six innings, he gave up four hits and two runs, throwing 68 pitches. Hendrickson, 2009 season: As starter: 1-5, 5.73, nine starts As reliever: 4-0, 3.44, 42 games The Hendrickson-Niemann pitching matchup tonight features a pair of 6'9" hurlers. Hendrickson pitched with Tampa from...

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Previewing the opener (plus pitcher stats)

April 06, 2010, 4:15pm

Orioles

Previewing the opener (plus pitcher stats)

The Baltimore Orioles begin their 57th year of Major League Baseball tonight at 7:10 p.m. on the road vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. The O's are opening on the road for just the second time in 15 years. The O's went 64-98 last year while Tampa finished at 84-78, one year after winning the American League championship. Tampa sported baseball's best record in spring training games at 20-8 with two ties. In the last 13 years, the team that had the best spring training record in the Majors made the...

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Mr. Jones and me (updated)

April 06, 2010, 4:09pm

Orioles

Tampa Bay Rays starter James Shields has been impressive tonight. He'd be unhittable if not for Adam Jones. Jones doubled to center field in the first inning, and he just homered to right with the count full in the third to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Jones kept battling Shields through a 10-pitch at-bat. It ended with Jones going into his home run trot as right fielder Ben Zobrist raced to the fence. Orioles 1, Tampa Bay 0. Jones has accounted for both Orioles hits. Shields has walked...

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Tejada tested early (updated)

April 06, 2010, 4:08pm

Orioles

It probably won't come as a shock to anyone that the first ball put in play by the Rays managed to find Miguel Tejada at third base. Tejada fielded Jason Bartlett's grounder and made a strong throw to first. It's all downhill from here. Carl Crawford showed bunt on the next pitch, but pulled back. Kevin Millwood threw 18 pitches in the first inning, 10 for strikes. He fanned Evan Longoria on a 91 mph fastball with the count full to strand Ben Zobrist at second base. The Orioles made...

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Soaking up the atmosphere - if you can find it

April 06, 2010, 4:05pm

Orioles

Soaking up the atmosphere - if you can find it

As I sit here in the second row of the Tropicana Field press box, I join my fellow scribes in wondering why it doesn't feel like Opening Day. Maybe if they could open the roof. It's so different on a Monday afternoon at Camden Yards. This could be any other game on any other night. I'm half expecting Aubrey Huff to be batting for the Rays and Jorge Julio to be one straight fastball away from a blown save. It's good to be here. It's just...different. I hope that makes sense. You'd...

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Roberts stayed true to his word

April 06, 2010, 4:05pm

Orioles

Brian Roberts kept telling everyone that he'd be ready for the opener, that he could get his body ready while dealing with a herniated disk in his back. Rather than experiencing a feeling of satisfaction today, Roberts described it more as "relief." This is one time when he really wanted to be right. "I'm very thankful that I am here," he said while standing at his locker before batting practice. "The training staff has been great, the doctors have been great. Everybody's gone above...

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Opening odds and ends

April 06, 2010, 4:04pm

Orioles

Only 11 players from last year's Opening Day roster remain with the club tonight: Matt Albers, Jeremy Guthrie, Mark Hendrickson, Cesar Izturis, Jim Johnson, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Felix Pie, Brian Roberts, Luke Scott and Ty Wigginton. Miguel Tejada ended the 2009 season with a 21-game hitting streak with the Houston Astros. If Tejada gets a hit tonight, he'll become only the third player in major league history to have a streak of 20 or more games spread over two leagues, according to...

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Lineup reminders

April 06, 2010, 4:03pm

Orioles

Is Tiger Woods doing anything interesting this week? I might be out of the loop. In case you forgot or just want to check them out again, here are the lineups for tonight's opener at Tropicana Field: For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott DH Matt Wieters C Felix Pie LF Garrett Atkins 1B Cesar Izturis SS Kevin Millwood RHP For the Rays: Jason Bartlett SS Carl Crawford LF Ben Zobrist RF Evan Longoria 3B Carlos Pena 1B B.J. Upton CF Pat...

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Rollin' with Nolan

April 06, 2010, 9:47am

Orioles

If Nolan Reimold is going to play first base this season, he'll need to take care of an important piece of business. "I don't even have a first baseman's mitt yet," he said, grinning at his locker. Reimold took grounders at first on the last day of spring training, which created quite a stir after manager Dave Trembley and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail kept insisting all winter that he was strictly an outfielder. "People asked why we waited until the end of the camp....

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Will there be another change for Rowell?

April 02, 2010, 6:39pm

Orioles

Will there be another change for Rowell?

The Orioles are not confirming anything yet, but it appears there have been internal discussions about moving Billy Rowell from outfield back to the infield. Rowell, who played third base his first three seasons in the organization, played right field last year for the Class-A Frederick Keys. The 21-year-old Rowell struggled at bat the last two years with Frederick, but also had a tough time last season adjusting to right field. The O's 2006 first-round draft pick, he made 15 errors with a...

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O's fall in Tampa as losing streak reaches 11

April 02, 2010, 12:24pm

Orioles

O's fall in Tampa as losing streak reaches 11

The O's got a decent outing from a starter and six runs on offense, but their struggling bullpen could not hold on again. Tampa pushed across a run in the last of the 8th to snap a 6-6 tie and beat the Orioles 7-6, handing the Birds their 11th straight loss. It's the longest losing streak since the O's lost 12 in a row from August 16-28, 2004. Ben Zobrist doubled off Chris Ray leading off the 8th and moved to third on a groundout. Danys Baez came on and Pat Burrell's sac fly put Tampa...

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Post-game Notes: Pen can't hold lead vs. TB

April 02, 2010, 12:23pm

Orioles

Post-game Notes: Pen can't hold lead vs. TB

The pen falters again - The O's bullpen went from bad to worse Monday night. The pen could not protect a 6-3 lead after six and a half innings. Willie Aybar's three-run, pinch hit homer tied it in the 7th and Tampa scored the winning run in the 8th. Tonight the O's pen allowed four hits and four runs over three innings. The pen ERA on this road trip is 8.37. The bullpen ERA over the last 29 games is 6.77. Dave Trembley talks with Gary and Jim after the O's 7-6 loss Starter Mark...

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Is Sano saga finally nearing end stages?

April 02, 2010, 12:14pm

Orioles

Is Sano saga finally nearing end stages?

There was a time when it seemed like the Orioles were one of the favorites to sign Dominican shortstop Miguel Angel Sano. That no longer seems to be the case, but the O's aren't out of it yet, either. John Stockstill, the O's director of international scouting said, "We have had talks with Sano in the past few days." While the signing of Sano by any team doesn't seem imminent, Stockstill added, "Things have stepped up in recent weeks." Baseball sources indicate something that has...

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Tuesday night baseball: O's at Tampa

April 02, 2010, 12:13pm

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (60-96) at Tampa (80-76) You need to get 27 outs to win a baseball game. The way the O's bullpen is performing recently, those final few outs have been hard to pick up. The O's pen blew a 7th-inning, 6-3 lead Monday night and Tampa beat the Orioles 7-6 extending the season's longest losing streak to 11 games. That's no where near the club record 21-game streak set in 1988, but it is the 6th losing streak of 11 or more games in franchise history. The last time the...